A remarkable case of administrative oversight has come to light as Air India has finally located a Boeing 737-200 that had been effectively ‘lost’ for 13 years. This aging aircraft, a veteran of 43 years, was discovered at Kolkata Airport, having been completely expunged from the airline’s official asset lists. The discovery was prompted by the airport sending a hefty invoice of approximately 1 crore rupees for unpaid parking charges.
The aircraft, identified by its registration VT-EHH, had a varied past. It was initially part of the Indian Airlines fleet in 1982, then operated under Alliance Air starting in 1998. After returning to Indian Airlines in 2007, it was utilized for cargo duties with India Post before being retired from active service in 2012. Instead of being properly retired and disposed of, the aircraft was left grounded and subsequently vanished from the airline’s internal records.
This significant lapse in asset tracking was acknowledged by Air India’s CEO, Campbell Wilson. He admitted that the company had no knowledge of owning the aircraft until Kolkata airport officials intervened. The consequence of this oversight was far-reaching, impacting depreciation records, insurance coverage, maintenance forecasting, and financial documentation. The phantom aircraft was also excluded from the asset valuation during Air India’s acquisition by the Tata Group.
Compounding the mystery, the 737 was the sole retired Air India aircraft among ten to retain its Pratt & Whitney engines, while others were dismantled prior to sale. For over a decade, the airport levied parking fees, accumulating to close to 1 crore rupees. The aircraft has now been moved to Bengaluru, destined to become a crucial training resource for aspiring maintenance engineers. This incident underscores the challenges of managing assets within large, historical entities.